Zack's Promise
by Yokihana
Summary: Zack Fair was never the kind of man to give up. Even in his harshest moments he finds reflection and hope in what he cherishes most.


Zacks Promise

Memoirs of Friends and Love

Note: Zack's age is not entirely sure, all we know about him is that he joined Solider at the age of 14 and became Angael's student. Some estimate he's about 19, and 23 at his…death. We do know that at the point where Zack meets Aerith/Aeris and Zack she's 17 and 21 four years later, Cloud is 16 and then 20.

The foul taste of blood inched its way into every corner of Zack's mouth. He couldn't move, and to spit the raw taste from his mouth would use up too much energy. But, who knew how long that energy would last? He cocked his head slightly away from the bright high sky. It must've been around 3pm, an hour away from the hottest time of day, in the desert, right outside Midgar, Beautiful.

Beautiful…Aeirth. His eyes bolted open wider taking in the dust the wind blew over him. "No!! What about the promise I made to Aerith?" Aerith…and Cloud, what had become of him, did the Shinra army deal him a worse fate, or was he safe. If cloud lived, yes, it hadn't been in vain; at least his best friend was alive. Gotta be positive Zack, you'll get through this, you just need a hi-potion, heck that's being nice, an X-potion would be just perfect!

Dark spots ensued on his vision and he stopped thinking and closed his eyes. He had made a lot of promises…Cissensi, his parents, Cloud, Angeal…and most of all Aerith. Yeah, when Cloud and him got back to Midgar, he'd take Aerith away and keep her promise that is if her mother allowed it.

-Four years ago before the mission to Nibelheim-

"Aerith?" Zack said slowly walking up to Aerith.

"Hm?" Aerith said softly without looking at Zack. Zack tensed.

She wasn't happy, but at the same scared, not angry. He had told her two days ago he was going on an important mission to Nibleheim to investigate a mako reactor. A cloud of worry spread on her face and she smiled and simply said "Be careful" and departed on her way home. Aerith wasn't the kind of girl to get mad at small things, but she was worried and scared for his sake. She was the girlfriend of a 1st class SOLDIER, why should she worry? It was a quick check out mission and check back in. Plus, he was going with sephrioth and learned yesterday his best friend Cloud would be coming too.

"Have you ever been to the Gold Saucer?" Zack said walking closer to Aerith. Her head sat on her knees, the pollen in the flowers were intoxicating, "No." She said silently.

"Then its settled. When I get back, we're going on a trip!"

"A trip?" Aeirth said tilting her head slightly. A hint of excitement replaced her sullen expression.

"Yeap." Zack said folding his arms, "and we'll ride Chocobos, and spend money until I have to call someone to bail us out."

"We could run!" Aerith said jumping up.

Zack stammered. Aeirth invoking something of that nature, maybe she was more gutsy than she thought. He smiled and Aerith smiled back, "Your parents too?"

"My parents?" Zack stammered back puzzled.

"Yes…you never talk about them."

Zack stopped and swallowed. He loved his parents dearly, but it was hard thinking about them. He sent letters when he had the chance (which wasn't often enough according to his mother), but its hard to go back to a place you just dropped from your life when you were only 14. He missed his mother's apple pie and her warm smile, heck; he even missed the terrible smelling cologne his father always insisted on wearing.

"I'm sorry" Aerith stated, "you've met my mother…I just wondered about you." Zack smiled, her mom was nice, but she could sense the resentment in her when she first met Zack, but slowly she was warming up to him. Enough so to make him a special desert just for him whenever he stopped by. Zack watched as Aeirth took a seat in the church bench and he joined her, slumped down without words. Finally he leapt up jolting Aeirth a little,

"I want you to meet them!" Zack said.

"Really? I can meet the parents of Zack Fair, Mr. and Mrs. Fair?"

"Hey, come on, don't make it sound like their parents of a God or something, I'm _just_ a SOLDIER 1st class."

Aerith chuckled, "Whoops, I guess that was +1 ego point?"

"Nah, more like +5 since it came from you." Zack smirked.

Aeirth blushed and Zack leaned down and kissed her. When they finally broke her face was redder,

"I suppose a stat boost of that magnitude was worth a first kiss eh?" Zack smirked, "maybe even a second…or third?" Aerith turned redder though she wasn't sure how and pushed Zack from the pew. He laughed and she turned around to laugh as he snuck up and hugged her from behind,

"Aerith?" Zack said softly.

"Hm?" Aerith said with a sigh.

"I promise, I'll be back, and when I do, you'll be happy…with me. Proud to say, I'm Zack Fair, your…"

-12:00pm, Junon Luncheon-

"Cloud!" Zack shouted. A young man around 16 looked up from his booth and smiled waving for him to join him. Zack slid into the booth and a waitress came by and took their order.

"So, what's up?" Zack said slumping back in the booth.

"What do you think of our next mission? Will it really be a quick check?" Cloud said thoughtfully.

"Sure. Its your hometown right? You should know more than me."

"Well, its not the biggest town, I'm a country Bumpkin much like you."

"Yeah, but not some place as dead as Nibelheim."

"This coming from a place called Gongaga?"

Zack laughed, "Hey, I didn't name it man." Zack looked towards the waitress who carried the tray to another table. "Argh, so hungry. This isn't how a 1st class should be treated." Several eyes darted towards Zack and he laughed nervously. _Even here in Junon SOLIDER isn't entirely understood._

Zack and Cloud passed the next few minutes exchanging fighting styles as well as monsters encountered. After what felt like an hour to Zack, his double order of the hamburger special arrived and he attacked it like a monster in battle, head on, no regrets.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"So Cloud, anything you want to see when you get back home?" Zack said in between stuffing his face. Cloud put down his fork and shook his head, "Not really. Its just home."

"Hm, same with me. I haven't been to my home since, uh." Zack began counting in his head, "Three years."

"You don't want to go back?"

"Do you?" Zack stated.

"No."

"It'd be awkward for me to go back, I've been gone too long and I left when I was only fourteen so, yeah. What about you?"

"A promise…I haven't kept my promise to someone."

"A Promise?" Zack said puzzled, "must be a girl eh?"

Cloud looked down and Zack thought he saw a nod but said nothing further. In the six months since he'd met Cloud they'd become the best of friends despite their three year age difference. He was like a younger brother to him, something he always secretly wished for but never had. Heck, he'd have settled for an older brother, but Angael was able to feel that void.

"What was Ms. Cisseni talking to you about the other day…when you…?"

"Failed?" Zack cut him off. He'd rather not be reminded of that, but Sephiroth had just smiled and said it was an easy mistake, something even he could make. Zack figured it was just him being nice, Sephiroth made few mistakes, if he did; someone probably forgot it quickly with good reason.

"I didn't mean it like that, but what about Cisseni…?"

"We're not like that if your wondering. She is cute, but I got a girl you know, ten times better than her! Heck, the best girl in the world!"

"Really?" Cloud said.

"Yeap, her name is Aerith and she's a flower girl in the slums, but there's something different about her. I can't put my finger on it, but its sorta that special aura Sephiroth carries, strange huh?"

"Well, I'm not familiar with either so I'll take your word Zack. A girl in the slums who sells flowers?"

"Yeah!" Zack smiled filled with new life (aside from the fact he was eating) we built a wagon to sell her flowers, before long she'll be known throughout Midgar."

"I'd like to meet her then."

"Sure Cloud. After all, you're my best bud. Maybe you can help us out too, we'll all be rich!"

"You sure are the optimist Zack."

"Your not? That's ok, I'm sure Aerith has friends, we'll hook you up!"

Cloud blushed and stuttered, "That's nice but there's…"

"There is a girl!" Zack said jumping up from his table and pointing at Cloud. A nearby waitress scolded him and Zack smiled and finished his meal. Leaving a well sized tip. He did want to come back again here right?

"Cloud, we're best friends, so no matter what, we'll watch eachothers back, even in death."

-Four years later, 4pm-

Zack's vision was fading. He muttered to himself in his mind, but it was easier to just think about nothing. Not about Aerith…not about the fact he was lying here during the hottest part of the day in the smothering sun with bullet wounds that cut him up like Swiss cheese._ Traitors!_ Zack screamed in his mind. _I hate you SOLDIER! Look what you did to Angael, Cloud and I. I hate you!_

A shadow passed over Zack. A cloud? No…Cloud? Cloud looked down at Zack, tears welling in his eyes. He was still shaken from being comatose for the last four years. He was finally awake, and he was still alive. The Shinra army was long gone. He would pass on his legacy, his honor to Cloud. Even in death he could protect Aerith.

"Cloud…there's a girl, remember the one I told you about, Aeirth? Could you find her in the slums and tell her…take care of her for me?"

-Three years after Zacks Death-

Zack looked on at a twenty-three year old Cloud. He had grown up since the seven years he first met him. _Not quite there yet, but almost. Remember what Tifa said, open yourself up more. You gotta let people in man._ He turned his gaze to Aerith and watched as Cloud gazed on at her. Aerith smiled back and turned towards Zack. Even three years after her death she still paid him a visit, but this might be the end. Jenova was gone as was sephiroth and everything created from them. The world could rebuild. Aerith walked in front of him, Clouds gaze still on them. Zack raised his hand towards Cloud and transferred his thoughts,

_I kept my promise, now live Cloud, don't sulk, live, my best friend._ Zack turned to Aerith, Together.


End file.
